Reminder: Important Boating Facts

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There are approximately 621,000 registered boats in Texas, ranking it fifth in the country.

Texas has more square miles of inland water than any other state.

Recreational boating safety is a primary area of responsibility for Texas game wardens. The most common water safety citations are issued for: (1) Not having enough lifejackets on board the boat. (2) Children younger than 13 not wearing a life jacket.

All children younger than age 13 must wear a life jacket while in a boat underway.

Game Wardens enforce the Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) law. A person who either appears to be impaired and/or has a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher while operating a boat can be arrested for BWI.

A person arrested for BWI may be jailed for up to 180 days, be fined as much as $2,000 or both. Additionally, the person’s drivers’ license may be suspended.

Alcohol plays a role in 50 percent of all boating accidents, according to BOAT US.

Nearly 85 percent of boating fatality victims were not wearing a life jacket.

A typical boating accident fatality involves:

An open motorboat;

Weekends between the hours of Noon and 7 p.m.;

The victim falling overboard; and

An operator between 26-50 years of age

Texas Boating-Related Statistics on Public Waterways (does NOT include non-boating related drownings)

Calendar Year

Accidents

Injuries

Fatalities

BWIs

1997

258

222

69

164

1998

252

187

53

185

1999

262

186

51

154

2000

257

173

55

217

2001

242

191

41

216

2002

249

153

61

190

2003

264

175

39

193

2004

209

155

35

279

KE 2005-08-01

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